State officials have officially pulled back the curtain on the individuals keeping Florida safe from the flames. Chief Financial Officer and State Fire Marshal Blaise Ingoglia announced the recipients of the 2025 Fire Service Awards Monday, honoring a select group of first responders for their work over the past year.
The annual awards are a collaborative effort between the state and several major industry groups, including the Florida Professional Firefighters, the Florida Fire Chiefs Association, and the Florida Emergency Preparedness Association.
The ceremony highlights various roles within the fire service, from front-line responders to the instructors and inspectors working behind the scenes.
“I was proud to recognize some of the extraordinary firefighters who answer the call and run towards danger, while others run away,” Ingoglia said during the announcement. “Their courage, sacrifice, and dedication to protecting Floridians is truly unmatched. As State Fire Marshal, I want to thank these firefighters for their exceptional work to keep our communities safe every single day.”
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The 2025 honors spanned fourteen different categories, recognizing both career professionals and dedicated volunteers.
Among the top individual honors, Harold Theus of Alachua County Fire Rescue was named Fire Chief of the Year, while the Orlando Fire Department’s Ron Huguenin took home the title of Professional Firefighter of the Year.
The full list of this year’s honorees includes:
- Fire Chief of the Year: Harold Theus, Alachua County Fire Rescue
- Volunteer Fire Chief of the Year: Brent Stevens, LaBelle Fire Department
- Professional Firefighter of the Year: Ron Huguenin, Orlando Fire Department
- Volunteer Firefighter of the Year: Karl Hook, Charles-Capitola and Bradfordville Volunteer Fire Departments
- Career Firefighter of the Year: Jefferson Mendal, Charlotte County Fire and EMS
- Fire Service Instructors of the Year: Reginald McKnight Jr. (Miami-Dade, 2025) and Rob Ramirez (Jupiter, 2024)
- Forestry Firefighter of the Year: Armando Nodal, Florida Forest Service
- Fire Marshal of the Year: Rodney Kwiatkowski, West Manatee Fire Rescue District
- Fire Inspector of the Year: Sandra Thomas, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue
- Fire Investigator of the Year: Thomas Fucci, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue
- Chad Reed Emergency Manager of the Year: Cathie Perkins, Pinellas County Emergency Management
- Fire and Life Safety Educator: Adam Chrisman, Cedar Hammock Fire Control District
- Training Center of the Year: North Collier Training Center
These awards serve as the state’s highest recognition for fire safety professionals, acknowledging those who have demonstrated high standards of training, prevention, and emergency response across Florida’s diverse counties.
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